All we've been through
by BDK89
Summary: David and Emma have been through a lot to get to where they are today. Oneshot.


It had only been minutes since she was born, but already I knew I loved her unconditionally. Like her mother before her, little Emma seemed to know exactly how to wrap me around her little finger. I took a moment to take in her features. She looked a great deal like me, though she seemed to have Snow's chin. She was absolutely perfect. Of course was. After all that Snow and I had been through to finally have Emma with us, how could she not be? Snow had told me about my mother's sacrifice, but we had faced so many hardships before that. There was my betrothal to Princess Abigail, though that was short-lived. King George, of course, had been less than pleased when he found out what had happened. After that, as I had been on the run from King George and his men, Snow and I constantly had to search for one another. She was on the run from her stepmother, Regina, and it seemed as if the world didn't want to cut us some slack. When we finally _were_ together, after I had broken the sleeping curse Regina had put on Snow, I could finally take my True Love to meet my mother. I had wanted the two of them to meet since the day I first met Snow. That day, when we were on our little mission to get my mother's ring back, I knew Snow was the one for me, though I hadn't told her until after we were married.

_Our wedding_. The time when I thought we could finally be together, live in peace, start a family. Of course, Regina had other plans. I knew we should have killed her when we had the chance. Snow had been against it, of course she was. That's just who she was, it was why I loved her so much. I looked down at my little bundle of joy. Emma. She would be as good as her mother, I was sure of it. A few months after our wedding, Regina's curse still hadn't come, and we almost dared to hope it would never come. We started to plan our future together, and before long Snow told me she was with child. The day Snow told me she was expecting was one of the happiest in my life. Of course, as soon as we knew we were to be parents, the worry returned. At Snow's wish, we spoke to the Dark One. Rumplestiltskin had confirmed our worst nightmare; Regina's curse was indeed coming. However, it turned out little Emma would be the one to save us all. However, she would not do this until she was twenty-eight. After that prophecy we had searched for a way to get Emma to safety, and finally the Blue Fairy found one. A magical tree, which would be carved into a wardrobe. Unfortunately, the wardrobe only had enough magic to transport one. Snow would travel to this new land before the curse hit. She would have to raise Emma on her own, prepare her for what was coming. Little Emma, stubborn as she was bound to be as Snow's daughter, had other plans. She came early. Of course she did. And so here we were, Emma only minutes old, and the curse about to hit. I had to get her to safety. Yet I could barely bring myself to do so. It was selfish of me, I know, but how could I just leave her? This little human being, so tiny, yet so perfect, would be all by herself, without her parents to take care of her.

I know our little Emma will grow up to be the fairest of them all, she will be capture everybody's heart, and she will be kind to all, like her mother before her. If only we could be there too. I hear Regina's guards approaching rapidly behind me. Making sure my grip on Emma is secure enough I break into a sprint. I have to get her to the wardrobe! As I burst into the nursery, the former Queen's guards finally catch up with me. I don't have a choice, I have to fight them off with Emma still in my arms. As I hold my infant daughter in one arm, I fight off as many guards as I possibly can. Finally, _finally_ the seemingly never ending stream of guards end, and Emma and I are left alone in the nursery. Slowly, I make my way to the wardrobe. For a brief moment, I stand before it, hesitating. But then I can hear voices behind me. Of course Regina send more of her men after us. I gently put Emma in the wardrobe and take a step back, taking in her beautiful features for the last time.

_I'm sorry, Emma, _I think. _Sorry I won't have tea parties with you, sorry I won't teach you how to use a sword, or watch as your mother teaches you archery. I'm sorry I won't be there to hold you when you have a nightmare, sorry I won't be able to be there for you when you're sad or sick. I am sorry to put so much responsibility on your tiny shoulders. I know I am a terrible father for doing this to you. But I swear, when you find us, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you._

I plant a final kiss on Emma's forehead. _I love you. _'Find us,' I whisper, as I close the doors of the wardrobe. I had barely closed the doors when one of Regina's guards caught up with me and the fight continued. It didn't last long this time; the fatal blow came after mere seconds after the fight had started. I fall to the ground, barely able to hold on to consciousness as I watch my enemy open the door of the wardrobe. She's magic worked.

_She's safe,_ is the last thought in my head before I finally surrender to the dark.

* * *

She has her head on my shoulder, and she's crying. My beautiful, brave, strong baby girl finally let her guard down. She had been hurt beyond imagination, my Emma. True, she was crying for Neal and possibly August right now, but I knew what was hidden just beneath the surface. All the pain she had been through the past twenty-eight years. The pain I, too, had inflicted on her. Yes, I had placed her in the wardrobe that day to safe her, she knew that. But as a result of what I had done, my baby girl had grown up alone. 'How do I tell Henry?' Her words break my heart. I place a kiss on her temple and continue to hold her tight.

After Snow and Emma had returned from the Enchanted Forest I had been surprised to see how the relationship between the two had changed. No longer were they just friends, they were mother and daughter. It had made my heart swell with pride to see my wife and daughter together, but deep inside I felt a hint of jealousy. I knew I had no right to feel this way. After all, I had not been through what they had been through in order to get back to Storybrooke. Snow told me they had been to our castle, to the nursery. _Emma's nursery._ This is where Emma finally seemed to understand why we did what we had done. According to Snow, she had forgiven us. Of course, this filled my heart with an indescribable joy. However, my daughter was much closer to her mother than she was to me. Part of me completely understood, but part of me had hoped she would be a Daddy's girl. 'She just needs time,' Snow had ensured me, though it was easy for her to say, Emma and Snow being as close as they were.

We continued to work on our relationship though, Emma and I. Now that I was her deputy we spend most of the day together. She had started to relax more and more in my company. Even though I was still David to her, I had high hopes that one day, in time, it would be Dad. Maybe even Daddy, though that might be a little too much to ask for. It felt like we were a normal family now. The four of us, Snow, Emma, Henry, and I, lived together like any other normal family, though we were far from that. Snow and I were the same age as our daughter, it was enough to make your head spinning at the very least. Emma handled it with a certain grace and elegance that was almost to be expected from a Princess. It was surprising how much she reminded of her mother. Snow, too, always seemed to be able to face everything, no matter how hard it would be. Even though Emma had grown up without us, she was still unmistakably our daughter.

In the back of the room I can her Regina and Snow talking, but for right now I am not concerned what it is about. Right now I just want to sit her with my baby girl. For the first time in years I am holding Emma in my arms again, and I wouldn't trade this moment for the world. We are far from perfect, but after all that we've been through, who would?

* * *

**Sooo.. This just sort of happened, I hope you guys like it! It's my first OuaT fanfic, so please be nice! :)  
****English is not my native language, so sorry for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes!**


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